1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,704 discloses a terminal fitting with a box-shaped main portion capable of receiving a tab of a mating terminal fitting. A resiliently deformable resilient contact piece is arranged in the main portion and can be connected to the tab inserted into the main portion. The main portion includes a base that faces the resilient contact piece in a resilient deforming direction of the resilient contact piece. The base has substantially the same thickness in a length direction except at a through hole formed in a front end portion thereof. The resilient contact piece is cantilevered obliquely up toward the front from the rear end thereof and is bent to form a substantially U-shaped support that is in contact with the upper surface of the base. The tab inserted into the main portion, contacts the resilient contact piece and causes the resilient contact piece to deform resiliently toward the base with the support as a supporting point.
The support and the base of the above-described terminal fitting are juxtaposed in a height direction which is the resilient deforming direction of the resilient contact piece, and the thicknesses of both portions are added to the height of the main portion. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the height of the main portion. On the other hand, the height of the main portion can be reduced if the height of the resilient contact piece is reduced. However, this may lead to a situation where there is an insufficient deformation space for the resilient contact piece.
The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to enable a miniaturization of a terminal fitting while ensuring a deformation space for a resilient contact piece.